A Study of Revelation 11…………..………………………………………………………………………….Page 1 of 8 Link to Lonnie Woodruff’s Revelation for Christians Today , online: http://www.abiblecommentary.com/howtounderstandthebookofrevelation.htm A Study of Revelation 11 I. Outline. 1. John told to measure the temple (Revelation 11:1-2). 2. The two witnesses (3-14). 3. The sounding of the 7 th Trumpet (15-19). II. Summary. Adapted from Revelation for Christians Today , by Lonnie Woodruff, pp., 179-180. Verses 1-14 give to us information regarding THE TEMPLE OF GOD. We also have the conclusion of the 6 th Trumpet. Verses 15-19 gives the sounding of the 7th Trumpet. In the first section of chapter eleven these symbols are used: TEMPLE, HOLY CITY, TWO WITNESSES, TWO OLIVE TREES, TWO CANDLESTICKS, and TWO PROPHETS. All of these symbols, basically, represent those faithful to God—THE CHURCH. Chapter 11 gives to us a complete history of the church from its beginning to its ascension to heaven. In verse 3 God gives His people POWER needed to spread the gospel during the Christian Age. In verses 5-6, God provided protection for His people so the gospel might be spread throughout the world. Once the gospel had been spread throughout the world, forces would arise upon this earth which would destroy the church for a period of time. In verse 11, we find God breathing life into His people, the church, and it once again began to function. Verse twelve has God calling the church to heaven to live with Him eternally. III. Chronology. BIBLE PERIOD: The Period of the Church. If you are not familiar with the 15 Bible Periods , please click here : https://maplehillchurchofchrist.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/15bibleperiods.pdf IV. Words/Phrases to Study V. Lessons & Applications. VI. Questions. True or False 01. _____ Being JUDGED and being REWARDED are both spoken of in this chapter. 02. _____ John was told not to measure the court outside the temple. 03. _____ Sodom is paired with Gomorrah in this chapter. 04. _____ The two olive trees and the two candlesticks had no power. 05. _____ There is rejoicing at death in this reading. MATCHING a. heaven f. the four and twenty elders b. tenth g. seven c. a third h. the temple Created by: David Lemmons btcRevelation11 Available Online at: http://maplehillchurchofchrist.blog A Study of Revelation 11…………..………………………………………………………………………….Page 2 of 8 d. Gog and Magog i. two candlesticks & two olive trees e. three j. two candlesticks & two olive trees 06. _____ A reed was given John to measure… 07. _____ How many powers were given the two olive trees and candlesticks? 08. _____ After 3 ½ the Spirit of life from God entered them… 09. _____ This part of the city fell. 10. _____ The beast from the bottomless pit would make war against them. Fill in the Blanks 11. The two witnesses would prophesy ________ days. 12. The people, kindreds, tongues, and nations would see the dead bodies of the witnesses ________ days. 13. The second ________ is past; and, behold the third _________ comes quickly. 14. ______ elders fell upon their faces and worshipped God. 15. ______ (a number) items were seen/heard when the temple of God was opened in heaven. Each Question is worth 7 Points My Score is: ________ Answers will be found on next week’s handout ANSWERS to Revelation 10 Questions… 01 —True (Rev 10.6); 02 —False (9); 03 —False (1); 04 —True (7); 05 —True (3); 06 —c (11); 07 —c (2,8); 08 —a (1); 09 —b (6); 10 —b (4); 11 —left, foot, sea (2); 12 —seal, write (4); 13 —servants (7); 14 —ate (10); 15 —hand, heaven (5). Created by: David Lemmons btcRevelation11 Available Online at: http://maplehillchurchofchrist.blog A Study of Revelation 11…………..………………………………………………………………………….Page 3 of 8 Questions on Chapter 11, Revelation for Christians Today, by Lonnie Woodruff--page 197… [Answers by DRL] 1. What does the temple of God represent? (1 Cor 3:16). Those people who are faithful to God—the church. 179. 2. What was John instructed to do concerning the temple? (11:1). To rise and measure the temple of God. 3. Are the measurements of the temple given? No, not in this chapter. 4. What is the symbolic meaning of the altar? (11:1). It represents a Christian’s ability to pray directly to God for the remission of sins. Cf., 8:3, where a golden altar is pictured before God’s throne and is used for offering up the prayers of saints. 5. Who are those who worship in the temple? (11:1). Only those who have a covenant relationship with God can commune with Him through prayer (1 Peter 3:12). 6. What was excluded in the measurement of the temple? (11:2). The court. 7. Who occupied the court of the temple? (11:2). Perhaps this is difficult to determine, but brother Woodruff suggests that the court, which is near the temple represents those who are professing to be Christians, but who have never obeyed God’s law. They have never actually entered into the true church. A second possibility he suggests is that these people are unfaithful members of the church. Whichever is correct, there is a distinction made between being in the temple, part of God’s people, and being outside of it. 8. What do those people do who occupy the court of the temple? . They trample down or walk on those who are in the true church. Another way of saying that they consider the church to have little or no value. Many today are close to the truth, but have no regard for the true church at all. They TREAD IT UNDER FOOT by using degrading and slanderous remarks and sometimes by persecuting the true church. This type of activity is to continue for 42 months, which is a symbolic representation of the entire Christian Age. Thus, we can expect this behavior to continue until the 2 nd Coming. 9. Who do the two witnesses represent? Brother Coffman says that they represent: (1) God’s Word; and (2) God’s church. Brother Woodruff argues that the two witnesses represent the church, using the word of God. The number two represents augmented strength, redoubled energy, confirmed power. Woodruff writes: “The church on the earth has received power from on high through the Word, and all Christians should be strong witnesses for Christ as we prophesy or teach that Word throughout the world.” 10. What two symbols are used in verse 4 also to represent the two witnesses? Two olive trees and two candlesticks. 11. Give the symbolic meaning of: (a) Two olive trees; (b) Two candlesticks. Created by: David Lemmons btcRevelation11 Available Online at: http://maplehillchurchofchrist.blog A Study of Revelation 11…………..………………………………………………………………………….Page 4 of 8 These two symbols are a continuation of the description of the two witnesses. Using the number 2 shows the great power or strength possessed by these witnesses. When the Gentiles, or the wild olive tree, are obedient to the new law of Christ, they are said to be grafted into the good olive tree. They become a part of God’s chosen people, the church. Therefore, it becomes easy to understand that the witnesses for Christ are a part of the good olive tree spoken of in Romans 11:16-18. 12. What power do the two witnesses possess? (11:6). They have the power to SHUT HEAVEN, that it rain not; power to turn waters to blood; and to smite the earth with plagues. Keeping in mind that Revelation is a book of symbols, this description must surely refer to the great power Christians, have through teaching the gospel, the Word of God. 13. When the two witnesses finished their testimony, what happened to them? (11:7). The beast ascended out of the bottomless pit, made war against them, and killed them. Consider this sequence of events in chapter 11… 1. v. 3 The witnesses are given power to prophesy. 2. v. 5 With God’s help, they will be able to overcome their enemies. 3. v. 7 When they finish their testimony, the beast will overcome and kill them. 4. v. 10 People will rejoice over their death. 5. v. 11 The Spirit of life from God will enter into them and they will live again. 6. v. 12 They will ascend up to heaven. Brother Woodruff believes these six points above give to us a complete history of the church from the time of Christ till its ascension to heaven at His 2 nd Coming. WHEN THEY HAVE FINISHED THEIR TESTIMONY being Colossians 1:23. After this was completed, then the BEAST overcame the church for a period of time. 14. Where did the bodies of the two witnesses lay? (11:8). They lay in the street of the great city, spiritually called: Sodom, and Egypt, and where also our Lord was crucified. 15. What is the symbolic meaning of the great city? The GREAT CITY is used in Revelation to symbolize the apostate church. The figures in the last part of verse 8 (Sodom, Egypt, and Jerusalem) are being used as symbols to represent the GREAT CITY, the apostate church. 16. Why is the great city described as Sodom, Egypt, and the city where our Lord was crucified? (11:8). Sodom is known for its immorality; the apostate church was spiritually (and sometimes physically) adulterous. Egypt was a great persecutor of God’s people in the Old Testament. During the Dark Ages the apostate church was responsible for the spiritual death of many people.